Projecting lantern



Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,285,915 Y Y raoJEc'rlNG LsN'rEaN Charles F. Dutton, Rocky River, Ohio Application November 29, 1941, Serial No. 421,010

claims. .(01. sa-zs) This invention relates to a projection lantern and more particularly to a lantern for projecting lantern slides and film onto a screen in the usual manner.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a projection lantern which may be economically manufactured and readily assembled by those unskilled in the art and particularly students in public and other schools.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a projection lantern composed, for the most part, of flat plate-like members which may be formed and assembled vwith the use of but a few common tools, and by those having but ordinary skill in such matters.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved projection lantern which will be simple to operate, economical to manufacture, and capable of withstanding comparatively rough usage.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention. The essential and novel features of the invention will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a perspective view of my improved projection lantern; Fig. 2 is a centrally located longitudinally extending vertical section through the lantern illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section as indicated by the lines 3-3 on Fig. 2; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are transverse vertical sections as indicated by the correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. l, it will be seen that my improved projection lantern comprises an elongated base III having mounted at one end thereof a lamp unit II and a combined lamp housing and condenser unit I2. An objective lens unit I4 is mounted at the other end of the base I0, and intermediate the ends of the base is a combined light shield and film holder I5 for a relatively small size film or plate.

The base III comprises an elongated flat plate having its longitudinal edges bent upward and inward as at 2| to form a retaining guide trough. Suitable felt or rubber supporting feet 22 are secured to the bottom of the base by bolts 23.

The lamp unit II, theobjective lens unit I4 and the film holder I5 are mounted on respective supplemental bases 24, 25 and 26, respectively. Each supplemental base comprises a flat plate ward and outward as at 2l to coact with the guide flanges 2| of the base and thereby support its respective unit in longitudinal alignment on'v the base. The supplemental bases are slidable longitudinally of the base I0 to permit adjustment of the various units one to the other. Suitable friction devices such as the spring pressed plunger unit 28, (Fig. 4) are carried by one ange 21 of each supplemental base and are provided with plungers 29 to frictionally retain the various units against inadvertent displacement.

The lamp unit II, which provides the source of light for the projection of the slide or film comprises a projection lamp 30 of. the usual type. The lamp is removably mounted in a lamp socket 3l which is secured to the supplemental base 24 by bolts 3Ia, which pass through laterally enlarged openings in the base and which may be secured in position by wing nuts if desired. The iamp 30 projects upward from the base 24 into the lamp housing I2. The housing I2 comprises a pair of side plates 32. a top plate 33 and a bottom plate 34. The top and bottom plates are provided with longitudinally extending flanges 35 which are secured to the side plates 32 by bolts 36.

A light shield is mounted on the lamp supporting base at the rear of the housing. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, a strap 38 extends upward from the supplemental base 24 and supports a shield 38. The lower end of the strap is bent at right angles to the body thereof and is attached to the base 24 by bolts 40. The shield 39 comprises a rectangular plate having its four edges bent forwardly therefrom to form flanges 4I. A shield member 42 is bolted to the flanges 4I by bolts 43 and extends forwardly therefrom, projecting beyond the rearmost edges of the lamp housing I2.

The lamp housing I2 is permanently. secured to the base I0. As shown in Fig. 5, the housing is secured by bolts IIO to the upper flanges III of a pair of supporting brackets II2,v the lower flanges H3 of which are bolted to the base III by bolts H5. Suitable shims such as washers II6 are used to adjust the height of the lamp h ousing, while similar washers may be used to correspondingly adjust the height of the projecting lamp.

Ventilation of the lamp housing is assured by reason of the enlarged openings 44 and 45 in the bottom and top plates respectively of the lamp housing. Ihe opening 45 in the top plate 33 is protected by a light shield. This shield comprises a plate 46 having its ends bent downward as at member having its longitudinal edges bent down- 45a and then outward providing flanges 41 which are secured to the top plate 33 of the lamp housing by bolts 48. The escape of light from the open sides 50 of this shield isprevented by a pair of plates which are spaced from the sides 50 and are provided with flanges 52 which are secured to the lamp housing by certain of the bolts 36 heretofore mentioned.

The condensing lenses are mounted at the forward end of the lamp housing |2. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, a pair of angle clips 54 are secured to the sides 32 of the lamp housing by bolts 55. The rear surfaceof a condensing lens 56 abuts the clips and is retained thereagainst by plates 51 having upturned anges 58 which abut the forward face of the lens. The plates 51 are secured to the side walls of the lamp housing by bolt 59. The forward condenser lens 60 is positioned against flanges 6|'of the-plates 51 and is held in contact therewith by the housing end plate 62. The end plate is provided with flanges 63 which are secured to the side walls of the lamp housingby bolts 64. The end plate 62 is provided with the usual rectangular opening 65 for the passage of light to the objective lenses hereinafter to be more fully described.

When the lantern is used with lantern slides or film of a comparatively large size, the slide or film, generally indicated with broken lines at S, Fig. 2, is slid into position in suitable guiding grooves 66 formed in wood blocks 61 which are secured adjacent the upper and lower edges respectively of the opening 65 by bolts 68. These guideways, being of wood, protect the slides from the heat of the condenser housing.

The objective lenses are mounted on the supplemental base 25, as heretofore mentioned. As shown in the drawings, an objective lens 10 is secured by suitable clips 1| and bolts 12 over an opening in a plate 13. This plate is bolted to an angle clip 14 which in turn is secured by bolts 15 to the forward supplemental base 25.

When small slides or small films are used, they are supported by the unitv l5 heretofore mentioned, and a second objective lens 11 is used to increase the size of the-projected image. This second objective lens is secured over an opening in a plate 80 by clips 18 and bolts 19. The plate 80 has a base flange 8|, slotted as at 82 to cooperate with a bolt 83 carried by the supplemental base 26. A suitable wing nut 84 serves to hold the unit in position and facilitates its adjustment relative to the objective lens 10.

The unit |5 which receives the small size lm or slide comprises a plate-like member/90, provided with an object opening 9|. This plate is supported by a slotted base flange 92, which is secured in position on the supplemental base 25 by a bolt 93. to facilitate the removal and adjustment of the slide carrier. The small slides are removably carried as at S by a pair of wooden guide rails 96 and 91, secured to the plate 90 adjacent the top and bottom of the opening 9| therein. Each of these rails is provided with a groove 98 to facilitate insertion and removal of the slides. The unit |5 is provided with a light shield which comprises as shown, a pair of side plates |00 :and top and bottom plates |0|, the latter being flanged as indicated at |02 to facilitate securing of the various plates together as by bolts |03. The forward end of each of the plates |00 and |0| is flanged inwardly as at |04 to facilitate attachment to the plate 90 heretofore described. The plates |00 and 0| provide a shield which Here again a wing nut 94 is used extends from the slide carrier 90 rearwardly toward the lamp housing.

' F may be provided by four nat corner pieces or spacers |20 which, being-'located at the corners of the opening 9|, thereby define slotted .openings as at |2I, Fig. 3, between the plate 90 and the two horizontal bars |22, the nlm being threaded through such openings. Bolts |23, passing through the bars |22, the corner pieces |20, the plate 90, and the flanges |04 of the light shield, retain the parts lin rigid assembly. The guide rails 96 and 91, heretofore mentioned, are secured against the outer faces of the bars |22 by means of bolts |24, and as the bars are 'of less height than either the guide rails or the corner pieces |20, slotted vguideways |25 are thereby formed for a mask M illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 2.

The mask M, best seen in Fig. 1, is preferably provided with a plurality of openings corresponding in size to the picture areas of the various filmsto be used. For example, the opening m may accommodate 16 mm. film, the opening m2 may accommodate 32 mm. film, and the opening m.a may be similar to m2, but with the longer dimension vertical instead of horizontal. The mask M may be slid manually, within lthe guideways |25, to the properly selected position. v

The rolled films F may be carried by either of two pairs of spools mounted on the unit |5. As illustrated in the drawings, the vertical pair |30 and |3| are carried by brackets |32 bolted to the top plate I 0| and to the vertical plate 90, respectively, while the horizontal pair |35 and |36 are carried by brackets |31 secured to the side plates |0| by certain of the bolts |03 heretofore mentioned. A simple and convenient form of mounting is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein the spool |30 is rotatable on a bolt |38 carried by the bracket |32, the bolt being rigidly positioned by-means of lock nuts |39. Resilient washers |40 and I4| confined between the end surfaces of the spool and the bolt head and nut |39 respectively provide sufficient friction to maintain the film at the desired tautness, and yet to allow manual shifting thereof. The spools may be provided with slots or other retaining devices, not shown, to secure the ends of the film.

When large size lms or slides are to be projected, the wing nut 94 is loosened and the unit I5 is removed from the base, the lms or slides then being mounted in the guides 61 on the lamp housing.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple construction, which, aside from the lamp, the lamp socket, spools, and lenses, may be constructed from fiat plates having suitable flanges to provide for their attachment one to the other. These plates may be easily bent and secured together with simple tools and ordinary skill. Thus, it will be seen that my projection lantern is especially adapted for assemblage by industrial art students at a relatively small cost.

I claim:

1. A projection lantern comprising an elongated base, a lamp support mounted for longitudinal adjustment at one end of said base, a lamp carried by said lamp support, a combined lamp housing and condenser lens support comprising a pair of transversely spaced vertically extending ilat plates, a top and a bottom plate. said last named plates being provided with longitudinal flanges adapted and arranged to be secured to said side plates to form a rectangular housing, means at one end of said housing to position a condenser lens unit therein, said bottom plate being provided with an opening, to receive said lamp, said top plate being provided with a ventilation opening. a light shield carried by said housing adjacent the opening in said top plate, a light shield carried by said lamp support at one end of said lamp housing, a plate holder at the other end of said housing, and an objective lens unit mounted at the other end of said base for longitudinal movement relative thereto.

2. A projection lantern comprising an elongated base, a lamp support mounted for longitudinal adjustment at the rear end of said base, a lamp housing and condenser lens mounting (carried by said base forward o f the lamp support, a lamp on said lamp support and extending into said housing, a condenser lens carried by said lamp housing, a pair of slide holding guides mounted on the forward end of said lamp housing to removably receive lantern slides, an objective lens unit at the forward end of said base and adjustable longitudinally thereof, said last-named unit comprising a ilat plate member having means thereon to slidablyicoact with said base, an angle member secured to said base and having an upstanding leg, a flanged vertically extending plate secured adjacent its lower end to said upstanding leg, said plate having an opening therein, an objective lens extending across said opening, and means carried by said plate to retain said lens in position thereon.

3. A projection lantern comprising an elongated base, a lamp support mounted for longitudinal adjustment at the rear end of said base, a lamp housing and condenser lens mounting carried by said base forwardio! the lamp support, a lamp on said lamp supporti and extending into said housing, a condenser'lens carried by said lamp housing, a pair of slide holding guides mounted on the forward end of said lamp housing to removably receive lantern slides, an objective lens unit at the forward end of said base and adjustable longitudinally thereof, said last named unit comprising afiat plate member having means thereon to slidably coact with said base, an angle member secured tq said base and having an upstanding leg, a flanged vertically extending plate secured adjacent its lower end to said upstanding leg, said plate having an opening therein, an objective lens extending across said opening, and means carried by said plate to retain said lens in position thereon, a second vertical plate mounted on said ,flat plate and having an opening therein, a second objective lens extending across the opening in said second named vertical plate, means to'secure said last named lens on the plate, and means whereby said second named vertical plate may be moved toward and away from the ilrst named objective lens.

4. A projection lantern comprising an elongated base, a lamp support at one end of said base, a lamp carried by said support, a housing for said lamp, a condenser lens mounted in said housing, an objective lens unit mounted at the other end oi said base' and movable toward and away fromsaid housing, a lantern slide holder intermediate said housing and objective lens unit, said slide holder having a supplemental base mounted for movement longitudinally of said elongated base and a vertically extending plate removably secured to said supplemental base and having an opening therethrough, a pair of 1antern slide holding guides secured toV one side of said plate adjacent the; top and bottom of the opening therein, a light shield carried by the other'side of said plate' and extending toward said lamp housing, said light shield comprising a pair of side plates :extending rearwardly and outwardly from the opening in said plate holder a d a top and a ybottom plate extending rearwardly and respectively upwardly and downwardly from such opening, said plates comprising said shield being bolted together adjacent their longitudinal edges, fand being provided with flanges at their forward edges for securement to said slide holder.

5. A projection lantern of the type described, comprising an elongated base and a plurality of supplemental bases, each of said bases comprising a ilat iianged plate, the iianges of the supplelmental bases coacting 4with the iianges of the elongated base to slidably secure said bases together, a lamp socket and lamp carried by one of said supplemental bases, a slide carrier unit and light shield unit carried by another of said sup-` plemental bases, a lani'p housing unit carried by said elongated base, an'objective lens supporting unit carried by another of said supplemental bases, and wherein each of said units comprises flat plate members having nanges to receive bolts to secure said members one to the other and thereby form the respective units.

CHARLES F. BUTTON. 

